A time and energy consuming part of furniture reupholstering is the removal of staples attaching the old upholstery to the wood frame of the furniture. Although screwdrivers and the like are commonly used to remove staples for such work, the time required for each staple is frequently doubled because the screwdriver slides along the bridge of the staple, the prying force is concentrated on one leg of the staple, and the staple is then removed one leg at a time. If the staple breaks in the process, two additional actions are required to remove the legs separately with a long needle-nosed plier. Various spike and nail extractors have been devised to reduce the work required in this similar operation and to reduce damage to nail and wood surface as the nail is removed. Examples of such tools are those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 616,618 (Iverson et al), 813,223 (Loreman), and 2,870,988 (Vasquez). Examples of tools devised specifically for removing staples are those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 650,186 (Maxson), 1,193,930 (Schulz), and 2,976,016 (Fennell). Of these tools, all but 2,870,988 and 2,976,016 are designed in such a way that in use the handle is approximately vertical to the work. The working head of each of these tools is relatively large thus requiring generous access space surrounding the fastener to be removed.
Because of the irregularity of furniture framing and interference between legs, arms and other surfaces of furniture, there is a demonstrated need for a staple removing tool the staple contacting head of which will fit into relatively inaccessible areas, and which will ordinarily remove the staple in one operation. There is also a need in such a tool for the ability to remove an individual leg of a staple after the other leg has been removed or when the bridge of the staple breaks.